


An Unusually Long Summer

by AthenaBorozon



Category: Original Work, The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-28
Updated: 2017-05-28
Packaged: 2018-11-06 01:25:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 538
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11025684
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AthenaBorozon/pseuds/AthenaBorozon
Summary: The hobbits of Brindelgard and the Dwarves of Drel endure a drought.





	An Unusually Long Summer

**Author's Note:**

  * For [lferion](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lferion/gifts).



An Unusually hot Summer: A Brindelgard Bit

The Dwarves of Drel, as all of their kind, were a cold weather people. Built thick and heavy to endure the snows, ice and freezing winds of their native northern lands.

Thunder rolled over the mountains and down into the sister villages like Dwarvish drumbeats. Not in many a year had such a Summer settled along the Little Brindel River. The water had dropped below her banks. The ice house behind Gandalf’s Staff, the village inn had little left to give. Even the great trees on the slopes of the surrounding forest drooped, cheated of their rainfall thusfar.

Hobitwives banked, then put out the hearth fires in their kitchens. Sprigs of mint and pine boughs were offered in the shrines as a quiet request for the spirits to send rain. The outdoor kitchens, Clever brick and mortar devices set away from the cottages by the back walls were cleaned and prepared for use. Iron pots with soups and stews that needed little tending were placed over the coals.

In Drel, the Dwarf village above Brindelgard the great doors were closed with a rumbling and boom that rivaled the thunder. Better to keep the torchlit passages and great rooms of their mountain sanctuary cool. In groups they sang ancient songs of the snow peaks of their homeland.

On the 18th day of the drought, by Tulip Heatherfield Took’s calculations, clouds began to move in over the villages. Small clusters of pure white rabbit’s tails at first, then a mass of cloud with grey bottoms. Soon the thunder started. Wind followed, stirring the torpid trees. Causing dust to rise from the main street that ran from Brindelgard up to Drel. 

Tulip went to stand in her front garden. Drawing deep breaths of the cooling air. Rain was falling nearby and the scent was traveling on the winds. Soon it would be here, she thought to herself with a thrill that ran through her entire body.

 

Tili of Erebor, who had joined her dwarf cousins in the mountain peeked out through the small door set in the massive bronze door. She had heard the wind bending the trees above them. And indeed there was rain. A hard, cold rain pounding down as far as she could see! She called to the others nearby. Slowly the great doors were opened and dwarves began to make their way out into the downpour. It looked set to last for awhile…

 

The trees stood proudly erect in the forest. The air was washed clean. Everything sparkled and shone beneath the Moon. The mood was celebratory. Dwarves and Hobbits alike trooped into the ‘Staff where stories of other droughts and other blessed rains were well underway. Five elves from the House of Welcome sang a beautiful tune that evoked the sound of the rain itself. 

After the hobbit children and dwarflings were sound asleep in their beds, the adults repaired to the refreshed springs for more singing and the usual word and clapping games. It was a gift to wash away the sweat and dirt of the past weeks, to revel in the swiftly moving stream. There was beer aplenty and no one minded that it was warm. 

//alb


End file.
